The invention relates to a communication interface for a path measuring device which can be coupled between the path measuring device and a control device for the path measuring device, wherein a path determination can be carried out by a measurement of the propagation time of measurement signals and a measurement of the propagation time can be triggered by control signals on a control signal communication channel and a propagation-time signal communication channel is provided for propagation-time signals.
One example of such a path measuring device is a magnetostrictive path transducer, with which an acoustic wave is generated via an electric excitation current pulse and the propagation time of this wave in a waveguide is determined, wherein a signal converter is arranged at a certain point of the waveguide and this generates a reaction pulse at a time interval in relation to the exciting current pulse.
The measurement signals, the propagation time of which is determined, are triggered by signals of an electronic circuit which is connected to the measuring device and the reaction signals are accordingly converted again into signals of the electronic circuit so that a measurement of the propagation time can be carried out between the signals of the electronic circuit. In order, on the other hand, to trigger a starting signal for the measurement of the propagation time, a control signal is provided as triggering signal which is transmitted on a propagation-time signal communication channel.
The object underlying the invention is to provide a communication interface, by means of which a path measuring device may be used universally and in a simple manner.